


when the sun came down, you were looking at me (and i was looking at you)

by meowjunhwi



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: A tiger - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Folklore, Forest Guardian Minghao, M/M, Moon Spirit Junhui, Seungcheol is a werewolf, Soonyoung is a, Spiritual Beings and Celestial Beings, Sun God Jeonghan, Wait for it, Wind Master Joshua, and junhui's mobagame ost, heavily inspired from the8's new contemporary art, idk how else to tag this lmao, kind of??, this is just me saying junhao are soulmates and they are in love over and over again
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:55:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27616580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meowjunhwi/pseuds/meowjunhwi
Summary: There is a tale whispered among the faes of the forest and the spirits of another realm, transcribed into the mundane language for the humans to understand, written on leaves then parchments; spoken through tongue from generation to generation.They say that during the time when the moon is at its fullest and brightest, the moon spirit themself descends upon the Earth in their glowing, ethereal glory.
Relationships: Chwe Hansol | Vernon/Jeon Wonwoo, Wen Jun Hui | Jun/Xu Ming Hao | The8
Comments: 6
Kudos: 64





	when the sun came down, you were looking at me (and i was looking at you)

**Author's Note:**

> HIII!!!! I am: here again with yet another JunHao fic yes. This is heavily-inspired from Minghao's latest contemporary art and Junhui's mobile game ost where they both look like spiritual gods/beings kasdnjas THE THOUGHT ENTERED MY MIND AND I NEEDED TO WRITE IT IMMEDIATELY SO HERE IT IS AND HERE I AM AND I LOVE IT, i just hope i was able to convey more and better asjdnjsad also, wonsol for the heart bc they make me warm and i just,,, adore them so much aaaa.
> 
> I hope y'all find this adorable and lovely and enjoy reading!! <3 Kudos and comments are v v v much appreciated thank you!! Also, stay safe alwayyyyys!!!

There is a tale whispered among the faes of the forest and the spirits of another realm, transcribed into the mundane language for the humans to understand, written on leaves then parchments; spoken through tongue from generation to generation.

They say that during the time when the moon is at its fullest and brightest, the moon spirit themself descends upon the Earth in their glowing, ethereal glory.

And then the wind would answer— whistling a wordless tune, followed by the fae of the forest who would pluck the strings of a zither magically produced from the wooden tree trunks, thereby producing a music fit for a heavenly being.

The leaves would rustle, a fallen branch snapped into two. The guardian would come into the clearing to meet the moon spirit after another full cycle. The trees tower above them and form a circle above their heads, through which the moonlight filters in. The music continues to play and it echoes loud and clear throughout the forest, and its notes even reach the high places of the Heavens. As the music fills the world on a full moon, the other creatures of the forest join in on the festivities and even the Heavens rejoice at that point of the lunar cycle.

And then the moon spirit bows, offers his hand for the forest guardian to take. And then they dance.

***

When Hansol was 8 years old, he loved to play in the forest near their village.

He wakes up energetic after his afternoon nap, and then runs off from the house with his butterfly net in tow, shouting his temporary farewell, and the reminder of his parents to be careful and be home before the moon rises fall on deaf ears in his excitement.

The forest is beaming with life and energy— the leaves rustle when the wind blows; the bird chirps and the sun filters in through the gaps made by the branches hanging high above Hansol’s head.

He picks up a long branch and uses it to guide himself as he walks, being in the forest often enough made him learn to leave a landmark as a reminder for when he trudges deeper in his curiosity.

There is a clearing and Hansol sticks the long branch on the soil, digging dip so it wouldn’t fall too easily. He takes a white ribbon he snatched from the fruit basket at home and ties it on top of the branch before he sets off and discovers more of the forest deemed magical by their villagers.

He lets his small feet take him where it wants as he wanders with curious eyes. Fingers skimming through the leaves that protrudes from the ground. Dragonflies fly above him and he manages to catch one with his net, holding it by the wings and cradling it in his little hands before letting it fly again for he has no such desire to rob the creature of its freedom.

A butterfly lands on the tip of his nose, making Hansol cross-eyed as he looks at it, iridescent wings glowing under the small beams of sunlight.

When it sets off, Hansol tries to chase it but ends up tripping on a branch and he trips, falls on the ground and scrapes his knee.

He sat up and hissed when the movement only sent a spike of pain through his leg. Just as he was taught, he tried to stop the bleeding by applying pressure on the wound with the cleaner part of his shirt.

While focused on his wound, Hansol hears the soft clicking of a tongue and his head shot up at the sound.

“You should be careful of the forest, little one,” a gentle reminder, not admonishment. A person walks from behind a tree and stops in front of Hansol, offering a hand to help him stand up.

“Can you walk?” He asks as Hansol pulls himself up and he nods, grimacing when another wave of pain shots up his left leg. He holds the other person’s hand and they walk slowly, ending up in the clearing from where Hansol stuck his branch tied with a white ribbon. He sees it still standing where he left it, the ribbon fluttering gently as the wind blows.

The person lets Hansol sit on a large rock, then he proceeds to kneel in front of him, lifting Hansol’s wounded leg onto his lap and procuring some healing supplies from the inside of his robes. Hansol just silently watches him and wonders if it’s alright to the other for his elegant white robes to be dirtied as particles of the soil from Hansol’s shoes ended up on the clothe and from where the hem touches the ground, staining it with dark brown.

As he works quietly, Hansol asks him, “What’s your name?”

“They call me Jisoo,” the other answers as he opens the lid of a clear bottle and pours the clear liquid on the wounded area of Hansol’s knee. He spreads it around carefully and gently, the touch of his fingers feather-light like it is the wind itself who is caressing Hansol’s skin.

“Jisoo,” Hansol repeats and nods to himself. Jisoo unfolds a cloth and lays it on top of Hansol’s knee to cover the wound. “Are you from around here?”

“You could say that,” Jisoo tucks the materials back inside his robes as he looks up at Hansol with a smile, “The forest is my home.”

“Must be nice,” Hansol mutters, imagining what it would feel like to live in the forest. He briefly entertains the thought of being friends with a deer and being able to lay side by side on a patch of grass with a rabbit while butterflies flutter about above them, hear the werewolves howl during the full moon without any ounce of fear in his limbs, making him want to bolt. It sounds wonderful, even just thinking about it.

He hears Jisoo chuckle, the sound akin to that of the small wind chime hanging on the window of his bedroom. It is pleasant to listen to.

“It is nice,” Jisoo confirms as he stands up, “You can see and feel the whole nature breathe as if you are a part of them and they are a part of you.”

“Do you want to take a look?” Jisoo asks and Hansol doesn’t even need to think about it before he agrees.

***

When the sun is about to set, Jisoo tells him it’s time for him to go back home. Hansol pouts, not really wanting to leave yet, not when Jisoo shows him parts of the forest he hadn’t discovered before because it was too far or too deep, Hansol hesitated for the fear of getting lost. Now though, Jisoo is with him and Hansol feels safe as they walk together with Jisoo holding onto his little hand to make sure he doesn’t trip on the uneven ground and protruding roots.

Jisoo laughs at the expression on Hansol’s face and he explains, “I’d let you stay a bit longer, if only your parents won’t be too worried or if only it weren’t the full moon tonight.”

Hansol creases his forehead, “Is there anything wrong with the full moon?” He tries to remember something that the older villagers had been saying whenever it is the full moon, because for some reason, everyone is livelier and even his parents give out free bread to everyone in their small town. The stream which flows from the river glints under the moonlight and the wind howls with glee.

“Quite the contrary, little one,” Jisoo says, “During the full moon, the whole forest celebrates and the Heavens rejoice.”

Confused, Hansol wonders why he can’t join in the festivities but when he is older and wiser, he’d soon realize why the full moon is such a special event that requires the festivities and maybe he’d be a part of it too.

He follows Jisoo through the clearing and towards the boundary where the forest meets the village, not stopping to retrieve his branch and white ribbon. Instead it was left where it was, for the next time that Hansol comes back to visit.

As he walks back to his house with a slight skip in his step, the wind blows and it brings with it the faint sound of a string instrument being plucked.

***

**_ When I miss you, you are the sunset, you are the clouds and you are the stars, too.  _ **

_The moon lies above the evening sky, blanketed by the clouds and surrounded by the stars. Sometimes it is there, sometimes it isn’t._

_But whether its physical presence being seen or not, the spirit is always present, making sure that each cycle goes by smoothly, not a phase missed and that the transition of night and day happens at the right time depending on the seasons._

_The spirits say that the moon spirit has a lover, yet it doesn’t meet it as often as the humans do their own. Yet when the two spiritual beings get together, not only do the Heavens rejoice but the Earth as well._

_But when the two are separated, the world is quiet and everyone lies in wait again for the next full moon, when the festivities surely will transpire for it is already a tradition for the Heavens and the forest to be one just as their guardians are._

_The spirits also say that when the moon spirit misses its lover, it asks help from the sun god and the skies turn into mixed hues of pastel pink and violet when the sun sets; that the clouds move around because it sings a song with the wind master, one of longing and desire to meet again; and the night skies are littered with stars that form galaxies which serve as the spirit’s offering for its lover._

_It is the longing that makes the two spiritual beings’ hearts and affection for each other grow fonder over decades and millennia. And it is rest assured that at every beginning of the lunar cycle, preparations for their union are in place and the whole world buzzes in excitement as they anticipate the moment when the moon spirit will meet its lover once again._

***

When Hansol was 13, he met Wonwoo who lives three houses below, loves to read and tends to the small garden at the back of their house.

Wonwoo is a quiet fellow and even though Hansol likes to sit beside him while they read books, the thrill of adventure thrums underneath his skin and he is itching to get up and go out.

So one day he asked Wonwoo if he wanted to go visit the forest. Wonwoo says yes without a second thought, much to Hansol’s delight.

They set off after lunch, even as the sun glares harshly upon their backs.

“It gives us more time to discover the mysteries of the forest,” Hansol declares as he pulls Wonwoo by the wrist, excitement making him speed up his steps. “Besides, if you want to take a nap, there is a good tree there that we could rest underneath of.”

“Are you sure that would be wise? Sleeping in a forest,” Wonwoo asks skeptically, raising the frames of his glasses using the free hand that Hansol isn’t holding onto.

“Yes,” Hansol simply answers because he knows the forest is kind to those who are also kind to them. And he holds a hope in his heart that Jisoo would be there to show them around, too. Hansol made sure to double-check the calendar before leaving the house, and knowing that it will be the full moon tonight, Hansol is even more confident that Jisoo will show up, just as he always does at that time of the lunar cycle.

They trudge carefully, following the trail that had been so familiarly ingrained in Hansol that he could get to the clearing of the forest even with his eyes closed and he could pinpoint the exact location where his tree branch and white ribbon stands, still there even after five years.

“You’re early today, little one,” Jisoo appears as soon as they did, and the familiar welcoming smile is right there on his face. “And you brought a guest, too.”

“This is my friend, Wonwoo!” Hansol introduces enthusiastically, pulling Wonwoo to stand beside him, “His family just transferred a few houses next to ours and they have a small garden.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Wonwoo,” Jisoo nods towards the new guest of the forest and Wonwoo answers just as kindly, not offering any words besides a smile. Hansol had learned early on that Wonwoo is shy and tends not to talk a lot, except when a topic he is really passionate about is brought into the conversation.

“I hope you two don’t mind that I brought a friend, too,” Jisoo informs them and Hansol was quick to shake his head, “No, no, it’s okay! Are they here for the full moon festivities, too?”

Jisoo nods while Wonwoo faces Hansol with a questioning yet curious look in his eyes, “Full moon festivities?”

“Oh! I haven’t told you, have I? Every full moon, the forest celebrates and the townspeople too,” Hansol explains.

Wonwoo’s eyebrows furrows even more, the look he gets when he wants to learn more about something to fully understand it, “What do they celebrate?”

His question was left unanswered as Jisoo returns with his new guest, a blonde man with beautiful, angelic features whose wavy strands of hair perfectly frame his face. Underneath the sunlight, he glows ethereally, Hansol was rendered speechless with his beauty.

“This is my good friend, Jeonghan. He would be joining us today,” he introduces his companion. Hansol was quick to step up and introduce himself and Wonwoo, too.

For the sake of Wonwoo, Jisoo took them to the parts of the forest that Hansol had already seen quite a lot of times in the past five years and yet he doesn’t mind. He loves the forest and if he could live there, he would.

“Have you traveled far to visit Jisoo?” Hansol asks as he walks beside Jeonghan while Jisoo and Wonwoo are far ahead of them, engaged in a conversation about the different floras and faunas littering the whole expanse of the forest.

“Just far enough for me to not feel too drained with the travel,” Jeonghan tells him vaguely, but Hansol had learned early on that with creatures like Jisoo, vague is almost always the way they answer questions and Hansol just lets it be. “I’m not the most active type. Jisoo always gets on my case whenever I let the sun out for too long and delaying the transition from night to day. It’s how the summer solstice came to be, you know?”

Hansol gapes slightly in wonder at Jeonghan’s story and maybe at the revelation that he is not of this world— something that Hansol had only suspected both of them to be in the beginning (the way Jisoo seemed to never age even though Hansol does; the way Jisoo appeared without effort, as if he had always been there; the way nature seemed to hum around their presence) but never entertained the thought entirely. Now though, Jeonghan tells him the story of the first summer solstice the world has experienced and it confirms the suspicion Hansol only lets linger in the back of his mind.

The wind blows and it lightly ruffles the dark brown locks of Hansol’s hair, while a huge force makes Jeonghan stumble on his feet and almost trip on his glinting golden robes.

“Ya, Jisoo! Don’t play dirty!” He scoffs as he regains his balance. Jisoo stands a few meters ahead of where Jeonghan and Hansol are, too far for him to clearly hear what they were talking about but well, the wind is around them. It isn’t supposed to be so surprising that he hears the sounds of the forest loud and clear, as if everything is being whispered into his ear.

“You should know well enough that I can hear you from wherever you may be, Jeonghan,” Jisoo’s voice sails over towards them, smooth and dripping in honey-like sweetness. Jeonghan crossed his arms and rolled his eyes before he and Hansol started walking again, the latter snickering behind his hand at the playful banter of the two otherworldly creatures.

At the corner of his eyes, a bright green color flashes and he whips his head around quickly, making his head spin slightly at the sudden movement. He stops in his tracks, making Jeonghan let out a questioning hum.

“What is it?”

“I-uh. I thought I saw something flash by,” Hansol replies absent-mindedly, trying to solidify the image of the green blur that sped by just a moment ago. He blinks, regains his composure, thinks that maybe it was just a leafy branch falling from a tree, but Jeonghan chuckles and sighs wistfully, “Ah, he awoke early today.”

“Who did?” Hansol’s forehead creases as he looks up at Jeonghan, but the latter just whisks him off with an arm around his shoulder, answering in the typical vague fashion that Hansol learned to let be even as curiosity floods his senses time and time again.

“A friend.”

***

**_ I invite the whole galaxy to visit you in my dreams.  _ **

_The forest had been there for centuries, even long before the ancestors of the villagers had built and started occupying the town nearby._

_For so long, the guardian had fed energy into the forest, had touched barks of trees gently and whispered his well-wishes for them to stay healthy, had seen the migrating flocks of birds and had tended to those who elected to stay. The guardian had also experienced the passing of seasons over millennia, watched in wonder as the eclipses occurred and marveled in every star that crosses the night sky._

_Legends say that during the second winter solstice, which fell on a night of a full moon as well, the sky had been littered with the first meteor shower that had been seen by the mortal eye. Human ancestors deemed it as a blessing from the gods, but the spirits know better, for it was the night when soon-to-be lovers met— in a clearing in the deepest part of the forest, a lake in the middle which clearly reflects the night sky and hovering above are two beings locked in an intimate dance as the whole world watches and rejoices._

_Of course, a celebration was to be held at their union. And in every union that followed in the next millennia, and maybe even centuries. Because it is not often that the guardian meets its lover for its whole essence and whole being is deeply rooted in the forest, and leaving for just a moment would take a toll on its existence._

_The guardian is the center of the forest’s living energy, and thus he cannot leave._

_So it tells the wind master to bring a message to its lover— a whistled tune of longing that sails over the forest and to the heavens._

_When the night arrives, the evening sky is littered with stars and the guardian looks up from its post in the forest, smiling because its song was answered with the most beautiful sight to grace its eyes._

_In his slumber, the guardian meets its lover and together they dance, toes touching the surface of the water as they float weightlessly. Their heads crowned with the stars and the moon. Foreheads pressed, arms around each other. For a while, the dream would suffice until the next full moon when they could meet again._

***

At the age of 18, Hansol decided to study astronomy and literature in the capital so he set off and for three years, he wasn’t able to visit home and trek in the forest where he spent the majority of his time as a child and a teenager.

At 21, he goes home with his leather suitcase and without wasting time, he knocks on the door of Wonwoo’s house and drags him along because the buzz of his excitement couldn’t wait any longer.

They reached the familiar clearing easily, and the ribbon is still there fluttering every now and then, remaining untouched from its position after all those years.

“It’s been a while, little one,” Hansol whips his head and a beaming smile splits on his mouth as when he sees Jisoo leaning against a tree trunk, fond eyes watching them and lips pulled up in a little smile.

“Jisoo,” Hansol greets and the other approaches him and Wonwoo, pats their head and walks ahead of them, “Come, there is something I want to show you.”

They walk deeper into the forest, in a path Hansol was sure he had never taken before nor had been shown to him. Wonwoo walks quietly beside him, though his head looks left and right and above, eyes dancing on every part of the forest that he could see.

After a while, they reached what looks like a dead-end, a tall wall of stone that stands meters above them, covered in moss and vines. Hansol looks at it and is rendered confused. He was about to voice it out to Jisoo when the older touched the stone with his hands and then it started to glow white, making the two mortals squint at the glaring brightness.

When it fades, Hansol now sees a pathway in front of them, the part that Jisoo touched now open for the three of them to pass through.

So they did, and on the other end, what greets Hansol and Wonwoo is a sight that made their jaws drop open in awe.

Here stands yet another clearing, but this is different than the others they had visited before. There is a lake in the middle, glistening underneath the sunlight. The trees are taller and looked older and they form a canopy above their heads. The sounds of the birds are much clearer, rabbits hop around on the green grass and the flowers sparkle almost like diamonds.

Something nudges Hansol’s hand and he jumps and almost screams in fright when he sees a large and very much alive werewolf standing beside him. It reaches up to his waist and it could most probably tackle and eat him right there and then should he make a wrong move.

Jisoo chuckles from beside him and then moves to kneel beside the werewolf, wrapping an arm around its neck. “This is Seungcheol,” he introduces, “Don’t worry, he doesn’t bite or attack people unprovoked. Most of the time he is just like an overgrown puppy.”

The teasing quip made the werewolf tackle Jisoo to the ground and cover his face with slob, making the man laugh as he evades the wet attacks. Hansol and Wonwoo both watch in amusement before turning to look and marvel at the hidden forest gem once again.

“It feels like we shouldn’t be here,” Wonwoo whispers under his breath, “it feels too sacred and too... magical, perhaps?” Jisoo was quick to offer an explanation, “Mortals aren’t supposed to be here,” he says, making Hansol and Wonwoo look at him with wide sets of eyes.

Jisoo stands up and dusts himself off, wipes his face with the sleeve of his robe and grimaces when he sees the large wet spot on the clothing due to the amount of slobber on his face. He glares at Seungcheol, who just made a sound that might be a laugh (Hansol thinks, he doesn’t really know werewolf language), before he rolls his eyes and continues his explanation.

“But I talked to Minghao about it. He had granted the permission for your entrance under the strict instruction that you two shall swear that no word of this secret area will be known to other mortal ears.”

Jisoo crossed his arms in front of his chest, looking straight at Hansol and Wonwoo with an unwavering gaze. His playful and gentle aura was gone, replaced by something intimidating and powerful.

It makes Hansol quiver in fear.

“Do you promise?”

Hansol swallows then he nods. From the corner of his eye, he saw Wonwoo do the same as well.

“Well then,” Joshua’s serious face melts into his usual angelic smile and crescent eyes. Hansol unconsciously lets out a relieved sigh, “Time to relax, you two.”

***

The good thing about being an adult, Hansol thinks, is that the childhood curfew that your parents had set on you is now foregone as they trust and believe in you to be responsible enough to look after yourself.

At least, that’s how it is in Hansol’s case. And besides, he has Wonwoo with him. His parents trust Wonwoo more than him most of the time, so as long as they are together, Hansol’s parents feel more at ease and reassured with Hansol’s safety.

Right now, the sun is starting to set and Hansol had been lying down on the grass for the better part of the day after he walked around the lake clearing. He has the werewolf Seungcheol’s head on his lap.

Beside him, Wonwoo is reading a book that he seemingly procured from one of the holes of a tree trunk, and his eyes run across the pages while his hand is busy stroking the fur of the tiger in his lap, now slowly dozing off at the slow and soothing movements, and probably because the tiger, Soonyoung as Jisoo introduced him earlier, is already tired from all the pouncing and running around he had been doing a while ago.

“I want to live here forever,” Hansol muses out loudly, making Wonwoo turn to look at him briefly before going back to his book. He had been so used to Hansol randomly saying the same thing about living in the forest that it doesn’t shock him anymore. Being Hansol’s friend means being accustomed to him and his love for nature.

“Hey, Won,” Hansol lightly nudges Wonwoo’s thigh with his elbow to call his attention. Wonwoo hums, telling Hansol that he is listening so the younger continues, “If I lived in the forest, will you stay here with me?”

This time, Wonwoo closes his book and stops stroking Soonyoung’s fur, making the tiger let out a disappointed whine. He turns to face Hansol to give him his full attention, making Hansol sit up as well so they can talk properly.

Around them, the forest buzzes with life. But between them, there is a silence that is somewhat tensed and awkward as they just look at each other. Hansol realizes that what scares him is this right here, right at that moment, for it might just be the first time that Wonwoo will reject him and that alone scares him a lot more than he lets himself on. Something about not being beside Wonwoo terrifies him, and the fact that both of them aren’t saying anything makes Hansol want to retract his question and pose it as a joke. Or even better— act like it didn’t happen at all.

Thankfully, it was right at that moment that Jisoo reappeared after being gone for a few hours, this time with Jeonghan in tow. The two of them plop down on the area of grass beside Seungcheol, the latter even going as far as to cup the werewolf’s face in his paw and nuzzle their noses together affectionately.

“Are you two ready for tonight?” Jeonghan addresses the two of them. Wonwoo picks up his book once again and resumes petting Soonyoung while Hansol is left to be subjected to Jeonghan’s questioning and curious gaze, “Yeah. I’ve always wondered about this ever since I first heard the music playing when I was about 8 years old I think?

“Well, you’re in it for a surprise,” Jeonghan says with a grin, “Though I advise both of you to be on your best behavior. After all, this is as sacred as it is joyful.”

Hansol nods in understanding, knowing better than to disrespect the forest and the creatures residing within.

When the sky darkens and the moon replaces the sun, there was a noticeable shift in the atmosphere. Everything felt a lot livelier than a few moments prior, and even the spiritual beings beside him seemed like there was a noticeable shift in their auras. Jeonghan and Jisoo seemed to sparkle, a pearly white glow to their skin. Even Soonyoung and Seungcheol looked like they were itching to sprint across the whole forest, too much energy thrumming underneath their furs.

Suddenly, Hansol remembers a story Jisoo once told him when he was 10, the two of them seated on a rock, in one part of the forest that Jisoo showed him. On their laps were flowers they were trying to weave into crowns, and while their hands were working, Jisoo tells him a story.

It was of the moon spirit and the forest guardian— a love that spans almost centuries and a dance made underneath the moonlight locked in an intimate embrace. The Heavens celebrate their union at every full moon and the forest sings its songs. The stars crown their heads and the Moon shines brighter than it ever did.

_“Won’t they feel the need to see each other every now and then?” Hansol asks in youthful curiosity, his flower crown laid down on his lap in favor of intently listening to Jisoo._

_"_ _They do, little one. The longing is too intense sometimes you could hear the forest cry for its lover when the wolf howls at the moon.”_

_“But when they meet again, at the turn of the full moon, it wouldn’t look like Heaven and Earth stood between them. It wouldn’t look like another lunar cycle must pass before they meet again.”_

_“When they meet again, it was just as it was before— loving touches and affectionate gazes. A twirl here and there and laughter shared amongst whispered words only the two of them could hear.”_

_“My words hold little meaning to the extent of love they have for one another,” Jisoo starts to end the story, “But one day, little one, you’d understand what I meant when I say that this is the kind of love that is hushed yet powerful.”_

_“It is a beautiful kind of love.”_

***

The moon rises high on the sky, full and bright and clearly reflected on the dark surface of the lake. Seungcheol howls in delight and the wind starts to hum a wordless tune.

From the sky, a glowing figure descends into the forest through the canopy of trees, long onyx hair and silver robes fluttering behind.

From behind the trees, another figure steps out into the clearing dressed in flowy green clothing, touches of brown and orange seen in between the folds of their robes.

Every creature in the forest waits with bated breaths as the two figures meet in the middle, fingers naturally intertwining with each other as they automatically assume a dancing position.

The music continues to play, steadily growing louder. The figure in silver raises their joined hands and twirls the other in his hold, the action done with familiarity and gracefulness, and then the dance starts.

In his life, Hansol had seen different kinds of love, although he hasn’t lived long enough to see all the kinds that exist in the world. But he can name some that he truly admires— like the sincere and heartfelt promise of everlasting love that his parents shared in their wedding vows; the admiration in his younger sister’s eyes when she sees Hansol do something amazing and wants to see him do it again; the silent way that Jisoo regards Jeonghan fondly when the latter isn’t looking at him; the way the old man from across the street never forgets to tend to his late wife’s flowers, because he knows she loves them and that is beautiful, Hansol thinks, that love can even transcend death.

Watching the two figures dancing in front of him— floating weightlessly a few meters above the lake surface, eyes intensely and merely focused on each other— Hansol sees yet another kind of love. And now, Hansol understands what Jisoo meant when he said that the love they share is the kind that is hushed yet powerful.

Hushed in a way where no words are needed for them to understand each other. One reaches out and the other is immediately there to take their hand. One sings out of longing and the other answers with a sky full of stars as a show of the same sentiment. It is in the way they clutched at each other while they dance— afraid to let go; and the way their smiles never wavered as they look at each other— gentle and loving.

It is powerful in the way that it could bring the Heavens and the Earth to unite and become one, even for just a night, to celebrate their union and to admire the beauty of the love they share. It is powerful in a way that it is loud despite the wordless yet meaningful gestures, in the way that when one looks at them, there is no doubt in the strength of the love they share— the kind that spans centuries and maybe even lifetimes.

If red strings were real, it wouldn’t be hard for Hansol to imagine and see that those two are linked to each other. Undeniably and irrevocably.

***

The forest guardian is called Minghao and the moon spirit, Junhui.

Under Minghao’s careful hands, nature thrives beautifully. With Junhui’s direct supervision, the night sky shines brightly. Together and tied with their love, the world becomes one on a full moon. The different spirits and guardians join together, the forest sings its songs and the Heavens makes the sky pour hundreds of stars.

Their love was absolute— rooted in the forest, the history of which could be traced in every wooden trunk and wounding branches and patches of mud where two sets of footsteps walk; written in the stars, their union even favored by the cosmos itself that it graciously blesses them with sunsets and full moons and galaxies.

Even in their longing, no bridge nor length of time couldn’t be shortened, no poems left unanswered, no songs left unheard.

A love so beautiful and powerful that it brings the whole world to a stop just to watch them fall in love over and over again.

***

When the night deepened and the festivities halted in order to give the forest guardian and the moon spirit some private time together, Hansol and Wonwoo bid their goodbyes as they still had to trek back to the village, even though Hansol strongly wishes he could stay.

Before they left, Minghao pulls him aside and lays a packet of seeds in his open palm— a gift from the forest to thank him for his appreciation, _‘plant it in a flower pot and place it by the window where it could get a good amount of light from the moon after the sun had long set.’_

“I overheard the conversation a while ago,” he informs just before he lets Hansol go, “I don’t mean to pry or eavesdrop, but should you ever push through with living in the forest, just let me know. The white ribbon you brought with you years ago? Take it and tie it on your wrist, it will lead you back here.”

With Minghao offering him his assistance in starting a life in the forest, Hansol was wholly tempted to just stay. But with a resigned and slightly disappointed sigh, he realized that he really had to go back to his family and their house in the village, and to his university in the capital where he needs to finish his studies even though he thinks that the forest feels more like his home already and that there is so much more to learn from Jisoo and Jeonghan about the world than sitting in a lecture hall for hours.

He mulls these thoughts and turns it around over and over in his head as he and Wonwoo trudge through the dark forest, illuminated only by the full moon that peeks through the branches of trees towering above them, painting spots of silver on patches of their skin.

The walk back was quiet, that’s why when Wonwoo suddenly talked, his soft yet deep voice almost loud in their silence, Hansol almost jumped back in shock.

“I think,” Wonwoo starts slowly, his eyes trained in front of him, “I think I wouldn’t mind. Living in the forest with you.”

Hansol stops walking and in turn, Wonwoo does too.

“Are you– Wonwoo, are you sure?”

Wonwoo faces him, his gaze unwavering as he looks straight into Hansol’s eyes, “I am.”

Then he smiles, the corners of his lips barely lifting, but it was genuine and reassuring and fond and Hansol is slightly tempted to just lean in and maybe, maybe even kiss him because damn it, his chest is about to explode from pure bliss and happiness.

Instead he just chuckles and leans in, but to just place his forehead on Wonwoo’s shoulder and feel him near, their bodies close but not pressed against each other.

Wonwoo brings a hand up to card through the dark brown locks of Hansol’s hair and the latter sighs at the soothing feeling of fingers massaging his scalp.

“But we have to tell our families first before we do. Live here I mean. We can’t just leave our lives there,” Wonwoo says in a whisper-like voice, and Hansol nods in agreement because he does have a point.

After a few more minutes staying like that, Hansol straightens up and then they continue walking back. Wonwoo bumps their shoulders playfully and Hansol retaliates with a laugh. They went back and forth with their little game.

When Wonwoo answers with another shove, harder than the previous ones, Hansol stumbles and trips on a protruding branch from the ground, but compared to when he was 8 years old and the trip resulted in him falling and scraping his knees on the ground, this time, Wonwoo holds him by the elbow just as he was about to fall and pulls him back to steady himself.

The hand holding his elbow remained there even as he already regained his balance and then it slipped inside Hansol’s palm and fingers intertwined naturally as they continued their way out of the forest and back to the village.

***

_A rustling from behind the trees, then he turns around and a smile breaks into his features, excitement coursing through his whole being as his lover runs towards him, green shifting robes fluttering behind his figure._

_He catches him, just as he always does, as he jumps into his arms. And then he holds him tightly, just as he always does whenever he gets the opportunity to hold him close and whenever the other reaches his hand out for him to hold._

_And then he presses his forehead against his lover and kisses him, just as he always does, filled with love and adoration and devotion, because it doesn’t matter how high his throne sits in the Heavens as a celestial being, it doesn’t matter that his Chariot is made with diamonds and silver, because all that he will ever need is right there in his arms and it is home more than his realm in the sky._

***


End file.
